1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to gun locking devices and more particularly, it relates to an electronic gun lock for preventing unauthorized use of a gun, revolver, and the like which includes a solenoid responsive to a control signal and an electronic combination code decoder for decoding a sequence code and for generating the control signal causing the solenoid to be energized thus allowing a locking rod to be moved to the unlocked position.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A prior art search directed to the subject matter of this application in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office revealed the following U.S. Letters Patent:
U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,479,017 4,398,366 2,887,807 5,001,854 3,768,189 5,022,175
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,768,189 issued on Oct. 30, 1973, to Robert S. Goodrich, there is disclosed a firearm barrel lock which is formed of a combination lock body having three tumbler rings. A collar is disposed in front of the lock body and is slidable outwardly away therefrom when the tumbler rings are appropriately set to open the lock. The collar can then be rotated with respect to the lock body so as to expand or contract an expandable member. When the expandable member is compressed so as to cause it to frictionally engage the barrel of the firearm, the firearm barrel lock is prevented from removal, thereby eliminating unauthorized use of the firearm.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,398,366 issued on Aug. 16, 1983, to John J. Wernicki, there is taught a gun lock for a gun and is comprised of a dummy round rear member, a hollow intermediate rod, and a combination lock. The dummy member fits in a bullet chamber of the gun and includes locking ball receiving recesses for receiving locking balls disposed on the inner end of the intermediate rod. The intermediate rod has a slidably moveable central actuator with a cam end portion for forcing the locking balls radially outward to engage the recesses in the dummy member. The intermediate rod also includes circumferential recesses into which the locking balls can fall when the actuator is pressed in to move the cam portion. The combination lock abuts the outer end of the intermediate rod so as to prevent axial movement thereof toward the inner end of the intermediate rod, thereby insuring locking engagement of the locking balls with the locking ball receiving recesses.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,022,175 issued on Jun. 11, 1991, to Ockert P. H. Oncke et al., there is illustrated a safety arrangement for selectively disabling a firearm and consists of a control unit, an electronic decoder unit, an electronic driver stage, and a keypad unit. The control unit is adapted in the locked condition to lock the hammer mechanically against actuation by the trigger and in the unlocked condition to unlock the hammer to be actuable by the trigger for firing. The electronic decoder unit is adapted to decode input signals received from the keypad and to provide corresponding output signals. The electronic driver stage is adapted on receipt of the output signals from the electronic decoder unit to cause corresponding operation of the control unit for locking or unlocking the hammer. The keypad unit has a number of key buttons whose operation thereof functions to provide the input signals to the electronic decoder unit.
The remaining patents listed above but not specifically discussed are merely cited of general interest and to show the state of the art in the field of gun locking devices.
None of the prior art uncovered in the search disclosed an electronic gun lock for preventing unauthorized use of a revolver or other firearm like that of the present invention which includes a solenoid having a moveable arm and being responsive to a control signal for energization so as to cause the moveable arm to allow an actuator pin to move an axially moveable elongated locking rod between a free position and a locked position. An electronic combination code decoder is provided for decoding a sequence code entered through a pair of code switches for generating the control signal allowing the solenoid to be energized when the sequence code is correct.